Inkster has an increased incidence of heart disease compared to both Wayne County and Michigan. As nursing students at Madonna University, we saw a need to educate children on cardiac health, diet and exercise. We joined together with St. Mary’s Hospital in Livonia and began the Feelin’ Good Mileage Club at Meek-Milton Elementary School. St. Mary’s provided the funding for this project, while we educated and walked with the children. Before the walking began, we taught the children about healthy hearts with materials provided to us from the American Heart Association. Walking took place twice a week throughout March. We kept a record of miles that each student in the first grade walked, and awarded prizes at the end. This program increased the students’ self esteem through a sense of accomplishment and motivated them to stay fit. This program reduced discipline problems and the students’ stress. The project was tiemly with financial difficulties faced by the school system which resulted in privatization. The school lacked a physical education program, and this project was a way for us to educate these children about proper fitness. By implementing this project, we laid the upstream foundation for these students with the home of decreased rates of heart disease in the future.
Learning Objectives: N/A
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.